DoT slaps Rs 877-cr spectrum charge on Vodafone

The Department of Telecommunications has raised demand of around Rs 877.6 crore from Vodafone as spectrum charges for the period between 2008-09 and 2011-12, sources said.

Every operator has to pay various kinds of annual charges like spectrum usuage charge, licence fee which is based on their revenue earned from telecom services.

The total amount raised against Vodafone, includes penalty and interest for all the four financial years separately, has to be paid by February 20, sources added.

For financial year 2011-12, the company has been asked to pay Rs 131.89 crore penalty for 11 telecom service area. This includes Rs 81.86 crore principal and penalty while the interest component is around Rs 50 crore.

For financial year 2010-11, DoT has asked the British telecom major's India unit to pay Rs 730.98 crore that includes principal and penalty of Rs 532.88 crore and interest component of Rs 198.10 crore.

These charges have been levied on spectrum held by company in 20 out of 22 service area where it operates, sources said.

The DoT has asked Vodafone to pay Rs 14.78 crore for Andhra Pradesh service area due for fiscal 2009-10.

The company has also been asked to pay Rs 12.24 lakh for Assam and Himachal Pradesh for fiscal 2008-09. No immediate comment was received from Vodafone on the matter.